Most common 1999 Ford F53 problems
Share of the 15 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
Ford F53 complaints by model year
Best F53 years: 2018, 2021. Years to avoid: 2020. Compare all years →
1999 Ford F53 recalls (2)
Vehicle speed control
On certain pickup trucks, passenger vehicles, sport utility vehicles, and motor homes chassis, the speed control deactivation switch May, under certain conditions, leak internally and then overheat, smoke, or burn.
Remedy: Dealers will install a fused wiring harness. Owners of the passenger cars included in this campaign will be instructed to return their vehicles to their dealers to have the speed control deactivation switch disconnected…
Vehicle speed control
Vehicle description: certain 1997-1999 rhd explorer equipped with 4.0l ohv/sohc engines and cruise control built from May 29, 1996 through March 4, 1999; 1998-1999 explorer/mountaineers equipped with 4.0l ohv/sohc or 5.0l engines or 1998-1999 rangers equipped with 2.5l, 3.0l ffv/efi or 4.0l engines and cruise control built from…
Remedy: Dealers will replace the cruise control cables. At the present time, the replacement cables are not available. Customers are being advised not to use the cruise control system until a replacement can be made.
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal safety investigators have looked into a possible defect involving the 1999 Ford F53:
Engine stalling
There is no summary currently available
What 1999 Ford F53 owners say
Engine & cooling
Dt: caller said there was a recall on v8 engines, not on v10. Caller was having the same problem with his vehicle's exhaust manifold and studs. Caller said studs broke and exhaust was leaking into the cab of vehicle. Caller thought the studs rusted. Dealer said they could not help him unless consumer paid for it. Manufacturer said consumer was not having a problem with the v10 engines.
Wheels cannot be balanced to prevent vibration of vehicle. Differential was defective from Ford and was replaced after two attempts to fix same. Chassis is still vibrating and unusable as one repair attempt wrapped the generater gas line around the generator exhaust pipe ( this repair attempt was by fleetwood motorhomes in decatur, ind. On a second try to fix the motorhome).
Suspension
I continue to have problems with the wheels on my Ford F53 chassis motorhome. Ford will not resolve the problem what so ever even when they have a TSB out on the problem! My understanding is that the center hole in the wheel which is used to center the wheel on the hub is too large and the wheel can not be properly centered on hub. Ford should replace the wheels. Http://www.Ford-trucks.com/TSB/fulltext/show_article.php?TSB=00-21-9 I called Ford customer relations,they told me that they suggested I have a "haweka adaptor kit" installed on my wheels. In calling tommy at haweka he said that this was a major problem Ford had from 1999-2002 on their wheel hubs and not the wheel itself. He said that the wheel is "impossible" to center on the hub without this kit and then it had to be balanced using a dsp hunting 9000 with "silver star,4 finger centering sticks and a backing disc". …
Rear differential ring and pinion gear failed. Manufacturer provided interim repair until component manufacturer (dana) can provide a permenent compnent(s) replacement. Rear end still makes driveline vibration/noise at 60 MPH under load. Failure of this component could render vehicle unable to move under it's own power or be towed to a repair facility leaving the motorist stranded.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 1999 Ford F53 a good car?
There isn't enough complaint history for the F53 to compare model years reliably. So far owners have filed 15 complaints with NHTSA.
What is the most common problem with the 1999 Ford F53?
The engine & cooling — 6 complaints, 40% of all complaints for this model year, most often about engine › gasoline. Next are the suspension (4) and transmission & drivetrain (2).
How many recalls does the 1999 Ford F53 have?
There are 2 recalls for the 1999 Ford F53, the most recent from August 3, 2007 (vehicle speed control). Recall repairs are free at any authorized dealer — check whether yours has been done with the VIN recall check.
What are the best and worst years of the Ford F53?
The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 2018 and 2021. Years to avoid or approach with caution: 2020. See the full Ford F53 years comparison.
At what mileage do 1999 Ford F53 problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 19,000 miles; 100% of problems with a recorded mileage started before 50,000 miles.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.